Shared Patterns in Late Antique Pagan and Christian Hymns (original) (raw)

Abstract

Recent research into the late antique religion, devotional art and literature has progressively deconstructed the notion of “Christian” and “pagan” artistic, religious and devotional patterns as clearly discernible entities. This paper looks at the interaction between Christian and non-Christian hymnic texts in terms of shared style and diction. Certain features of the late antique hymnic diction as a "cultural commodity" common to different religious groups are discussed: the so-called Partizipstil, or the Du-Stil (E.Norden); the convoluted syntax relying heavily on attributive phrases and epithets; ornamental elements like acrostic and isopsephy. The discussion spans from the Orphic hymns, hymnic pieces from the PGM and late antique narrative sources (e.g. ancient Greek novels and acts of martyrs), prose hymns by Aelius Aristides to early Christian hymns from the papyri, the Akathistos Hymn

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